Published: May 29, 2009 08:55 am      

READERS' FORUM 5-30 | Beware of sales people at your door

One night, a knock on my door came from a woman with two children, asking me to help save a Parent-Teacher Organization. I fell for the spiel.

She even told me about a man who had shut a door in her face, saying how mean he was and that he needed our prayers.

If you ask me, he was the smart one. I have yet to get what I paid for. It’s a shame you can’t trust people to be honest when money is given for a school cause.

So when you send your child out to sell door-to-door and that child gets doors slammed in his or her face, you can blame people such as this woman. They are no better than someone who robs a store. That’s what she did – robbed me.

What kind of example did she set for the children with her? That it’s alright to take people’s money for her own gains.

So when someone knocks on my door and I don’t know them, they should be prepared to have the door shut in their face.

To the woman who took my money with her lies: Someday you will answer to a higher power.

P.S. There were people at a Richland Township store on Sunday selling the same product I paid for and didn’t receive.

S.D. Wachs

Johnstown



Memorial Day no time for laundry, yard work

As a veteran, I was very disappointed to see so so many people washing clothes and mowing lawns on Memorial Day.

They should be ashamed.

Veterans who are now dead did not give up their lives, and right to grow old, for folks to mow lawns and do laundry. Hello?

I know there are some who have to do these chores on federal holidays, but I am sure the majority do not.

I do not want to see laundry on lines or to hear lawnmowers on federal holidays – and on Sundays for that matter.

On Memorial Day, respect veterans and other family members and friends no longer with us.

I know most veterans feel as I but do not give their opinions. Please respect the veterans dead and alive.

David Gall

Richland Township



UM’s closing tradition unlike that of diocese

A May 23 letter by S.A. Emery expressed the idea that United Methodist churches should consolidate like some of the Roman Catholic Churches have been forced to by their bishop (who lives in Altoona. I wonder how many churches have been forced to consolidate in Altoona).

Anyway, while I believe some of the writer’s economic points of view may be valid, I wonder if the people who have seen their churches forced to close see economic points of view as more important than the mission of those churches.

In the United Methodist tradition, when churches choose to merge or close, the initial step for those events comes from the people who are in those churches. United Methodist bishops have a lot of power, but they never initiate the process of merging or abandoning churches.

That’s just one of the differences between United Methodist and Roman Catholic churches.

As a Methodist, I like our way better. If the writer is a Methodist he or she should be aware of this. If not, he should mind his own business.

Ed M. Price Sr.

Windber



A happy ending to lost-rings saga

I would like to say thank you very much to the person or persons who found my wedding and engagement rings in the parking lot at Hoss’s Steak & Sea House on May 22 and turned them in to the Hoss’s staff.

Words cannot express how grateful I am for the kindness.

When I realized my rings were missing, I called every store I was at that evening.

When I called Hoss’s, an employee said he would check and call me back. He called back shortly and told me, yes, they did have my rings. Someone had turned them in but did not leave a name.

Also, thank you to the wonderful staff at Hoss’s for holding the rings, waiting for someone to claim them.

May all of you be blessed many times over for your kindness.

Diane Truscott

Johnstown



Trojan competitors fared well in Jersey

Greater Johnstown School District should be proud of the music students from the middle and high schools who in early May represented their respective schools at the Tournament of Bands Atlantic Coast Conference in Wildwood, N.J.

Three recent publications by the school district failed to commend the accomplishments of these students.

The high school sent its percussion and color guard teams. The middle school sent its color guard squad.

The coaches, teachers, students, parents and Band Booster organization deserve a great deal of recognition for their dedication to these competitions. Countless hours of practice outside of school hours made these wonderful shows possible. All three competitions were commendable and appreciated by the audiences attending.

Only after being there does one realize the genuine effort and sincere hard work given by each team member, coach and parent. These are special students who appreciate and demonstrate their love of the arts of music, dance and precision drill.

The middle school color guard team consisted of 18 girls in grades 6 through 8. Directed by two highly creative coaches, Jessica Rickabaugh and Crystal Mishler, they won their division championship and received the gold medal. They competed against six other middle-school teams and received their highest score of the season.

Their rendition of the movie “Sweeney Todd” was breathtaking and the performance nearly flawless.

This team is deserving of community recognition, for it truly represented its school district with utmost pride and will strive to continue the tradition.

Congratulations for a great year and thank you for bringing back the gold.

Linda Orlosky

Johnstown



Voter apathy is easy to understand

Your May 17 editorial, “Get to the polls on Tuesday,” and other articles focusing on what the primary election turnout would be failed to address several key issues.

The general population and the electorate in general just aren’t interested in voting.

Why the apathy?

The blue-collar worker will tell you that, after an election, nothing changes for him. He still has to pick up his lunch bucket and go to work the next morning. The only thing that changes in politics are the faces.

You failed to mention that unconscionable politicians wearing elephant hide will prostitute themselves for political gain.

Nor did you include that there isn’t any significant difference between the two major political parties.

A New York Times study found that the only difference between Republican and Democrat elected officials was their age – one might be older than the other.

You shied away from writing about the corruption of two crooked judges in the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas.

Finally, you showed cowardice in not stating that trying to find an honest politician is like trying to find an honest burglar.

Don Bufagna

Richland Township



Ex-hopeful pushing rights of handicapped

I am very disappointed in the slant put on a story about Anthony Gergely’s efforts to help people who are wheelchair-bound (May 23, “Candidate pushes for polls to be handicapped-accessible”).

His only goal is to help them vote like any other citizen.

Gergely was put in a bad light. You referred to him as “candidate” Gergely. The election is over and he is no longer a candidate. He is not concerned with the election any longer. He is satisfied with the people’s vote.

The article states that he was “unsuccessful.” Gergely ran a highly successful campaign. And he did not have to spend the thousands of dollars, like other candidates did, to get the votes he got. He is more than a winner in many people’s eyes.

This is a man of integrity who really wants to help people who are handicapped to vote like anyone else. Handicapped citizens should not be forced to send in an absentee ballot. That is discrimination.

Your paper did not report the whole story. When Gergely could not get his wheelchair into his voting precinct, he filled out a paper on the candidates he wished to vote for, signed it and asked that the votes be put through for him. He got an “OK” to that.

Gergely then went on his way, thinking that his vote was being cast.

Later, after he was gone, it was determined that he could not vote that way. Gergely did not find out that his vote was not cast until the next day, when he read it in the newspaper.

The judge of elections should have called for a ruling while Gergely was still at the polls.

That was not right.

I believe the article tried to manipulate the public’s minds and tried to make a person look bad. And that is clearly wrong.

A. Lee Fenimore

Johnstown